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Oscar Piastri takes his second pole of 2025 ahead of George Russell: Bahrain GP
Bahrain, 12 April 2025: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took his second pole position of 2025 with a dominant performance in qualifying for the FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in which he finished almost two tenths tenth of a second ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and three clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as championship-leading team-mate Lando Norris could only manage sixth and Japanese GP winner Max Verstappen was seventh.
At the start of Q1, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso set the early pace with a lap of 1:32.362. Verstappen was on track soon after and looked set to ease past the Spaniard with his first flyer, but he locked up in Turn 15 and immediately abandoned the lap. He headed back to the pits saying, “something wrong with the car”.
At the top of the table Norris took over, with the McLaren driver posting a lap of 1:31.107, two tenths of a second ahead of Piastri who was over three tenths ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
With a little under three minutes remaining, and with no time on the board, Verstappen needed a strong final flyer. His 1:31.303 lifted him from P19 to P3, just 0.196 off Norris’s earlier table topper, behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and ahead of Piastri, while a conservative 1:31.751 took Yuki through to Q2 in 14th place.
However, there was no way through to Q2 for Williams’ Alex Albon who went out in P16 along with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson who had a DRS problem on his final run, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Haas’ Oliver Bearman.
Q2 was disrupted after just four minutes when Esteban Ocon lost control of his Haas in Turn 2 and slid backwards into the barriers in Turn 3. After an eight-minute delay to retrieve the Frenchman’s car the session got underway once more. Piastri quickly set the pace at 1:30.454, a tenth ahead of Norris, but further back Verstappen, still struggling with understeer and brake issues, abandoned his lap.
Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was similarly disadvantaged and for the second session in a row the Red Bull drivers were restricted to a single lap to try to get through to the next stage.
Once again, they were up to the task, but the pair had to endure nervous moments at the end of the session as they slid to the edge of the top 10. In the end, as Piastri took P12 ahead of Norris with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly taking third ahead of both Mercedes cars,
Verstappen made it through in ninth place just one hundredth behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton while Tsunoda scraped through in P10 just two hundredths of a second ahead of Alpine’s Jack Doohan.
Eliminated along with Doohan were Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and the unfortunate Ocon.
At the start of Q3 Piastri took provisional pole with a lap of 1:30.233, two tenths clear of Mercedes’ George Russell and with Norris third. And the Australian McLaren driver made sure of his second pole of the season with a final run of 1:29.84, with Russell a couple of tenths behind and with Leclerc in third. Kimi Antonelli took fourth for Mercedes but both Mercedes drivers could lose out having been summoned for leaving their garages ahead of a confirmed restart time in Q2.
Pierre Gasly took fifth place for Alpine ahead of a below par Norris while Verstappen hauled his uncooperative RB21 to seventh with a time of 1:30.423, almost six tenths off pole. Carlos Sainz was eighth for Williams ahead of Hamilton, and Tsunoda took 10th place with his final flyer of 1:31.303.
2025 Fia Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 11:29.841 – –
2 George Russell Mercedes 11:30.009 0.168 0.187
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 11:30.175 0.334 0.372
4 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 11:30.213 0.372 0.414
5 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 11:30.216 0.375 0.417
6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 11:30.267 0.426 0.474
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 11:30.423 0.582 0.648
8 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 11:30.680 0.839 0.934
9 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 11:30.772 0.931 1.036
10 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 11:31.303 1.462 1.627
11 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 11:31.245 1.404 1.563
12 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 11:31.271 1.430 1.592
13 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 11:31.783 1.942 2.162
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 11:31.886 2.045 2.276
15 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari – – –
16 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 11:32.040 2.199 2.448
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 11:32.165 2.324 2.587
18 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 11:32.186 2.345 2.610
19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 11:32.283 2.442 2.718
20 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 11:32.373 2.532 2.818 -
Oscar Piastri tops FP2 as Lando Norris completes McLaren 1-2 at Bahrain
Sakhir (Bahrain), 11 April 2025: Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two in the second practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, with the Australian finishing 1500ths of a second clear of team-mate Lando Norris.
The pair used the hour-long session to forge a strong advantage over the rest of the field, with Mercedes’ George Russell half a second off the pace in third place and with Japanese Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen in P7 and over eight tenths of a second adrift of top spot.
In the session’s opening quarter, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton set the early pace with a lap of 1:32.157 on Mediums. Soft tyre-shod Kimi Antonelli slotted into second, +0.141 off the man he replaced at Mercedes, while George Russel was third on the same tyre, almost four-tenths off his former team-mate. Max Verstappen then moved ahead of Russell with a lap of 1:32.376 on Soft tyres after the Red Bull driver had earlier complained about his car ride, which was bumping around the track.
There was a bigger problem, though, for Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who had an issue with his steering wheel and returned to the garage to fit a new one.
Just after the quarter-hour mark Russell moved in the 1m31s bracket and to the top of the timesheet as he outpaced Hamilton by two-tenths of a second.
Hamilton then bolted on a set of Soft tyres and thanks to a purple middle sector he moved back to P1 with a lap of 1:31.915, still almost two seconds off Verstappen’s 2024 pole time.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was the next to get a spell in P1 as he also used Soft tyres to move the benchmark to 1:31.729. The Monegasque’s time at the top was all too brief, however, as Williams’ Alex Albon posted a time of 1:31.696 to slip past and then Verstappen found almost four-tenths more to claim P1 with a lap of 1:31.330.
The McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had spent much of the opening half of the session running Hard compound Pirelli tyres but as the midpoint approached both moved to Soft tyres and Piastri took top spot on 1:30.505, just 0.0154 ahead of Norris. The Mercedes pair also moved ahead of Verstappen with Russell in third, half a second off Piastri, with Antonelli two-tenths further back.
With a little over 20 minutes left in the session, Leclerc split the Mercedes, 0.013s off Russell, but there was no upward movement for Verstappen who complained that he had no brakes in the final corner as he stalled in P7 behind stablemate Isack Hadjar who was the highest placed of the Red Bull-owned cars with a time of 1:31.238 set on Medium tyres. Verstappen, however, was working his way through a longer run on Softs, as was team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who was down on 17th place.
With long runs now the order of the evening, the times settled and with the McLarens of Piastri in the top two spots ahead of Russell and Leclerc, with Antonelli in fifth place. Hadjar took sixth for Racing Bulls, with Verstappen in seventh and still complaining of brake issues in the final corner. Hamilton took eighth place for Ferrari, just 0.008s ahead of Haas’ Oliver Bearman who put in a strong performance to finish ahead the Williams pair of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.
2025 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:30.505 26 215.272
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:30.659 0.154 25 214.906
3 George Russell Mercedes 1:31.032 0.527 22 214.025
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:31.045 0.540 24 213.995
5 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:31.227 0.722 24 213.568
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:31.238 0.733 21 213.542
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:31.330 0.825 24 213.327
8 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:31.576 1.071 20 212.754
9 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:31.584 1.079 24 212.735
10 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:31.623 1.118 25 212.645
11 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:31.696 1.191 26 212.476
12 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:31.706 1.201 24 212.452
13 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:31.772 1.267 22 212.300
14 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 1:31.788 1.283 24 212.263
15 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:31.825 1.320 16 212.177
16 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:31.870 1.365 23 212.073
17 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:31.947 1.442 24 211.895
18 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:32.024 1.519 21 211.718
19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:32.382 1.877 24 210.898
20 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:32.496 1.991 20 210.638 -
India gets first Grade-1 Karting circuit as MIKA receives CIK-FIA certification
Chennai, 8 April 2025: The Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) in Sriperumbudur, near here, received the highly coveted CIK-FIA Grade-1 certification, thus placing the facility among the elite karting circuits in the World.
The circuit, measuring 1.17km, is the longest karting track in India with a multiple-track configuration suitable for competitive racing and leisure activities. The track was inaugurated by former World champion Mika Hakkinen in September 2024 and later hosted the final round of the Indian National Rotax Max Karting Championship in December 2024.
Securing the licence is the culmination of months of designing, planning and efforts to develop a facility that conforms to global standards. The track layout has already received rave reviews about it being a driver’s delight, given the mix of sharp turns, high-speed straights, and elevation changes.
The track was highly appreciated by elite drivers like double Formula 1 World champion Mika Hakkinen and India’s two F1 drivers, Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. Karun played a key role in designing the track.
The licence, dated April 8, is valid for three years and certified that the track fulfilled “the conditions and safety standards laid down by the CIK-FIA for the running of kart races held under CIK-FIA rules”. It was inspected by Willibald Zöttl, the CIK-FIA Technical Inspector for the Circuit and Safety Commissions.
The circuit is located within the premises of the Madras International Circuit which boasts of a FIA Grade 2 racing track and is the hub of motor racing in India.
The CIK-FIA licence considerably raises the profile of the MIKA circuit which will host a three-round Karting Karnival series in April-May.
Reacting to the development, MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chandhok said: “When we first conceptualised MIKA circuit, the target was to develop an international standard track that can host global competitions besides offering a great platform for racing aspirants as well as a destination for leisure activities for families and corporates.”
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Max Verstappen holds off McLarens to take first win of 2025 in Japan: F1
Suzuka (Japan), 6 April 2025: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen held off the McLaren of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, to take his first win of 2025 at Suzuka and become the first driver to take four consecutive Japanese Grand Prix victories beating Michael Schumacher’s record.
After taking the lead from pole, Verstappen managed a slim gap to the hard-charging McLarens across the first stint. And after shrugging off a pit exit challenge from Norris when they made their sole pit stops on the same lap, the defending champion closed out his first win since Qatar last year in style, managing his tyres and his pace to cross the line with 1.4 seconds in hand over Norris, with Piastri another six tenths back in third.
“It was tough, just pushing very hard – especially on the second stint,” said Verstappen afterwards. “The two McLarens were pushing me very hard, and it was a lot of fun out there. Not easy, of course, to manage the tyres, but I’m incredibly happy. It started off quite tough this weekend, but we didn’t give up. We kept improving the car and today it was in its best form. And of course, starting on pole, that really made it possible to win the race.”
After taking the lead ahead of Norris at the start, Verstappen set about trying to build a gap back to the McLarens, and despite complaining of poor upshifts, by lap five he was 1.4 second clear of Norris, with Piastri almost a second further back.
As the opening stint headed towards the pit window Piastri was the first of the leaders to blink, and at the end of lap 20 the Australian dived into the pit lane for a set of Hard tyres. That prompted Red Bull to pit Verstappen at the end of the following tour and McLaren responded by pitting Norris on the same lap.
McLaren were quicker to fit a set of Hard tyres to Norris’ car and as Verstappen reached the end of the pity lane Norris pulled out into the working lane almost alongside the Dutchman. Verstappen held his line in the fast lane and though Norris protest that he had been forced onto the grass at the side of the pit exit, Race Control ruled that there was nothing to investigate, and Verstappen held the lead on the road.
With the pit stops out of the way, Verstappen was now 1.4s clear of Norris, with Piastri another two seconds further back in third. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc held fourth place, five seconds off the lead with Mercedes George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in fifth and sixth places.
With 20 laps remaining Verstappen was given free rein to push but he couldn’t shake the McLarens, who continued to exert maximum pressure. Verstappen, though, was flawless and the champion delivered a perfect closing third of race to take his first win since last year’s race in Qatar and the 64th of his career.
Behind the top three, Leclerc was fourth ahead of Russell, who got to within 1.3 of the Ferrari in the closing stages but couldn’t quite put pressure on the Monegasque driver. Mercedes rookie Antonelli finished sixth while Hamilton took seventh after racing on a Hard-Medium strategy in opposition to the bulk of the field. Isack Hadjar took an impressive eighth place and his first F1 points for the Racing Bulls ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and the final point went to Haas’ Ollie Bearman.
2025 FIA Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix – Race
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 53 1:22’06.983
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 53 1:22’08.406 1.423
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 53 1:22’09.112 2.129
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 53 1:22’23.080 16.097
5 George Russell Mercedes 53 1:22’24.345 17.362
6 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 53 1:22’25.654 18.671
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 53 1:22’36.165 29.182
8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 53 1:22’44.117 37.134
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 53 1:22’47.350 40.367
10 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 53 1:23’01.512 54.529
11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 53 1:23’04.316 57.333
12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 53 1:23’05.384 58.401
13 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 53 1:23’09.105 1’02.122
14 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 53 1:23’21.112 1’14.129
15 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 53 1:23’28.297 1’21.314
16 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 53 1:23’28.940 1’21.957
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 53 1:23’29.717 1’22.734
18 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 53 1:23’30.421 1’23.438
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 53 1:23’30.880 1’23.897
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 52 1:22’19.912 1 lap /12.929 -
Max Verstappen grabs stunning Suzuka pole ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri: F1
Suzuka (Japan) 5 April 2025: Max Verstappen took a stunning first pole position of 2025 for the Japanese Grand Prix and claimed the outright lap record of Suzuka as he hauled his tricky RB21 ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris by just one hundredth of a second. Oscar Piastri claimed third for McLaren with the top three covered by just 0.040s.
In the final runs of Q3 Norris looked to have done enough to secure pole when he crossed the line in 1:26.995. His main rival looked to be Piastri, who was midway through his lap, but no Verstappen, who had struggled for balance all weekend.
The Dutchman had clearly not read the script, however and after “sending it and hoping it would stick” the Red Bull Racing driver secured his first pole since last year’s Austrian Grand Prix and the 41st of his career.
“We tried the best we could to get the best possible balance with the car, but it wasn’t easy, even in qualifying,” said the Dutchman afterwards. “But every session we just kept on making little improvements. I think that’s what made the difference. And yeah, the last lap was just flat out. I mean, around here being on the limit – or maybe even a bit over in places – is incredibly rewarding.”
At the start of Q1, it was Piastri who led the way, with the Australian setting the early benchmark at 1:28.143. Verstappen’s opening flyer, two tenths down on P1, left him fourth on the timesheet. Norris then went for an early second attempt and dropped the P1 time into 1m27s bracket with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc mirroring the strategy to climb to second place, a tenth behind the McLaren on 1:27.920.
In the final runs, Piastri reclaimed top spot, posting a lap of 1:27.687 to beat Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.156s. Norris was third ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen progressed to Q2 in sixth place with a time of 1:27.943, just 0.001s behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Headed for the exit after Q1, in P16 and P17 respectively, were Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto and the Sauber pair were followed out by Haas’ Esteban Ocon, Alpine’s Jack Doohan and in last place Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who had an off in the ‘Esses’ on his final lap.
Verstappen was first out of the pit lane at the start of Q2 and the Dutchman upped his pace from Q1 to stop the clock at 1:27.502. It was good enough to split the McLaren’s with Norris taking top sport on 1:27.146, while Piastri could only manage 1:27.613, to sit a tenth off Verstappen. Russell then jumped to P2. Running halted there, however, as a grass fire at 130R brought out the red flags just as the first runs concluded.
The session resumed after an eight-minute delay and both Norris and Russell elected to sit out the final runs. Verstappen ventured out but with little threat coming from further behind he abandoned the attempt and headed into the pits.
Ruled out at the end of Q2 were Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in P11 with the French driver followed out by Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Aston Martins’ Fernando Alonso, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda.
In the opening runs of the top-10 shootout it was Piastri who claimed provisional pole, with the McLaren driver setting the target at 1:27.052. Verstappen put in a strong Q3 opener of 1:27.278 to take P2 and keep Leclerc and Russell at bay, while Norris’s opener was four tenths slower than his Q2 best and he slotted into fifth place ahead of the final runs.
Russell was one of the first out for his final flyer and a mistake in the Esses put paid to his thoughts of pole. Norris was next across the line and with a time of 1:16.995 it looked like the championship leader had done enough. Verstappen had other ideas, however, and in a track record time the four-time champion once again proved why he’d been on pole 40 times.
“A lot of happiness when I crossed the line,” he said. “The whole qualifying, we just kept on trying to improve the situation a bit. And the final lap, honestly, it was very good. I had a lot of fun out there, being fully committed everywhere. Some places, not sure if I was actually going to keep it or not, but yeah, it was really nice. And yeah, it was great for the team as well.”
2025 FIA Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:26.983 – –
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.995 0.012
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:27.027 0.044
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:27.299 0.316
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:27.318 0.335
6 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:27.555 0.572
7 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:27.569 0.586
8 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:27.610 0.627
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:27.615 0.632
10 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:27.867 0.884
11 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:27.822 0.839
12 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:27.836 0.853
13 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:27.897 0.914
14 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:27.906 0.923
15 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:28.000 1.017
16 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:28.570 1.587
17 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:28.622 1.639
18 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:28.696 1.713
19 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 1:28.877 1.894
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:29.271 2.288 -
Piastri tops disrupted FP2 in Japan as Doohan suffers heavy crash: Japanese GP
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri set the quickest time of a heavily disrupted second free practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix that featured four red flags, including one for a huge crash involving Alpine driver Jack Doohan.
After sitting out FP1 in favour of reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, Doohan was out on track early in the second session to maximise time on a circuit he last raced at in his time in the Asian F3 Championship in 2019. However, after putting just four laps on the board the Australian lost control of his Alpine on the entry to Turn 1. He immediately spun off at high speed and hit the barriers hard, causing severe damage to left side and rear of his car. He quickly pronounced himself unhurt but with the barriers needing major repairs the session was red flagged for over 20 minutes.
When running resumed it did so only briefly. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso beached his car in the gravel at Turn 8 and once again the red flags came out. The session would be halted twice more before the end of the hour as dry areas of grass at the side of the track caught fire, presumably due to sparks from cars bottoming out, and marshals had to attend the incidents with extinguishers.
It meant that running was heavily disrupted, and it was the McLaren duo of Piastri and Lando Norris that topped the session. Th Australian set a best time of 1:28.114 to take P1 half a tenth clear of Norris with Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar in third place, four tenths off Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Ferrari ahead of the second Racing Bulls car of Liam Lawson and George Russell was sixth for Mercedes. Many drivers failed to get in a quali sim on Soft tyres, however, leaving the timesheet inconclusive.
2025 FIA Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:28.114 13 237.251
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:28.163 0.049 12 237.119
3 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:28.518 0.404 12 236.168
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:28.544 0.430 14 236.099
5 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:28.559 0.445 13 236.059
6 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.567 0.453 13 236.038
7 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.586 0.472 14 235.987
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:28.670 0.556 9 235.764
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:28.757 0.643 13 235.532
10 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:28.832 0.718 9 235.334
11 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:29.023 0.909 11 234.829
12 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:29.062 0.948 12 234.726
13 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:29.335 1.221 13 234.009
14 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:29.507 1.393 13 233.559
15 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:29.654 1.540 10 233.176
16 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:29.733 1.619 13 232.971
17 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:29.978 1.864 5 232.336
18 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:30.625 2.511 12 230.678
19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:30.845 2.731 12 230.119
20 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 1:31.659 3.545 4 228.075 -
Bagnaia capitalises on Marc Marquez crash in drama-filled Americas GP
Rain, a delayed start and an end to the #93’s clean sweep in 2025 – Sunday in Austin had a little bit of everything as Alex Marquez becomes the new title chase leader…
Austin (USA), 30 March 2025: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is a Grand Prix winner in 2025 after an immensely dramatic Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas unfolded on a Sunday afternoon that saw COTA King, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), crash out of the lead. With another P2 finish, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) becomes the new MotoGP title chase leader, as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium in an absolutely unforgettable Round 3.
RAIN (AND A QUICK-THINKING MM93) CREATES PRE-RACE CHAOS IN AUSTINTalk about amplified drama. Rain before the start saw the riders face incredibly tricky conditions heading to the grid, as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) proved. The Frenchman crashed on his sighting lap but managed to get back round to the grid, as we then saw something we very rarely see.
Just before the three-minute board was signalled, Marc Marquez dashed off the grid. This led to Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio, Alex Marquez and more following suit, with riders and team members sprinting down pit lane to grab the spare bikes that were fitted with slick tyres.
Some though, including Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), opted to gamble on slick tyres from the get-go and remained on the grid – along with some other riders. However, in the chaos, the red flags were thrown. Below, is the reasoning from Race Director Mike Webb: “We called for a delay and then quick start procedure due to safety concerns. Given the number of riders, bikes and pit staff on the grid and in the pit lane area, it was impossible to start the warm-up lap. A new race start was the safest way to respond to the unprecedented circumstances at the start of the Grand Prix. We will analyse the situation together with the teams and revisit the regulations.”
After a brief pause in proceedings, the updated information was a 14:10 pit lane green light and a quick start procedure, with original grid positions to be occupied by every rider. Then, it was time to try again – every rider now on slicks. But again, there was drama. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) had to be wheeled off the grid before we finally got the Grand Prix underway.
LIGHTS OUT: Marc Marquez grabs early leadMarc Marquez launched well and grabbed the holeshot, with Alex Marquez holding off Bagnaia into Turn 1. Pecco was trying to wriggle his way past the Gresini rider, first at Turn 11, then at Turn 12, but both attempts failed. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez built a 1.1s lead at the end of Lap 1, with the top four – Marquez, Marquez, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio – nearly two seconds up the road from Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team), who was enjoying a good battle with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
On Lap 4, Marc Marquez’s lead was up to 1.4s over Alex Marquez, who had Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio clinging onto his tailpipes. Then, at Turn 12, Bagnaia’s latest manoeuvre worked. The #63 was now in P2, so with clear air, could he reel in teammate Marquez?A 2:02.466 from #93 saw Marquez stretch his lead to 1.6s at the start of Lap 5, and then a 2:02.433 meant the gap was now up to the two-second mark. Meanwhile, further down the pack in the fantastic fight for P6, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at Turn 1.
MORE DRAMA: The #93’s first error of 2025
Then, fancy another massive slice of drama? Because that’s what we got. Turn 4 was the place, and it was race leader Marc Marquez who was on the floor! The front end washed away as he clipped across the curb too far, hit a wet patch, and with that, the undefeated run was over. Marquez was able to remount in P18, but without a right foot peg, plus more damage to his GP25, there was no way back into the points for the #93 with both Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) passing the six-time MotoGP Champion.
BOUNCING BACK: Bagnaia holds on for victorySo where did that leave us? Bagnaia led Alex Marquez by 1.6s, with the latter 2.2s clear of Di Giannantonio. And on Lap 13, Marc Marquez called time on his 2025 Sunday outing at the Americas GP. The victory streak was officially over.
On Lap 15 of 19, Bagnaia grew his advantage to three seconds. A lap later, it was a tenth more as Marquez continued to hold Di Giannantonio at arm’s length – 1.3s to be exact. Meanwhile, the fastest rider on track was Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and the rookie, with two laps left, bullied his way past Miller for P5. However, a fantastic ride then ended in the gravel trap at Turn 15, and at a similar time, Zarco’s impressive display ended at Turn 12.
Last lap time. Bagnaia simply had to bring it home, but 2.5s behind, Alex Marquez couldn’t relax as much. Diggia was prowling, a second split the two, so any slight error from the #73 could prove costly. In the end, it stayed as you were. Bagnaia bagged a massive 25 points to become the 10th rider in history to earn 30 MotoGP wins, as new World Championship leader, Alex Marquez, crossed the line in P2 for the sixth straight outing. Di Giannantonio’s efforts weren’t enough for P2, but nevertheless, a phenomenal P3 was pocketed for the Italian in Austin.
POINTS SCORERS: Americas GP edition
Morbidelli came home in P4, with Miller grabbing his best Yamaha result with a very classy P5. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) came from P13 on the grid to finish P6, Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rose to the occasion on a Sunday once more to fly the KTM flag highest in P7, as Marini, Ogura, and Quartararo completed the top 10.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was P11, Raul Fernandez leaves Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s home race with a P12, as Augusto Fernandez (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Viñales and Savadori rounded out the points finishers in Texas.
Well, MotoGP delivers again. Drama, drama and a bit more drama. Marc Marquez’s 100% record vanishes as a new Marquez sits atop the Championship – Alex. And how big will that victory be for Pecco? The double MotoGP World Champion will now be brimming with confidence heading to Qatar for Round 4. See you all there.
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Karun Chandhok launches ‘Drive to Victory’, a thrilling read for young motorsports fans
Chennai, 30 March 2025: Renowned Indian racing driver and Formula 1 expert Karun Chandhok has taken his passion for motorsport beyond the track with the release of his new book, Drive to Victory. Aimed at children aged nine and above, the book was launched in Chennai on Sunday, where Chandhok signed copies at two iconic bookstores, Higginbothams and Odyssey in Adyar, delighting young readers and motorsport enthusiasts.
A Must-Read for Young Racing Fans
Described as “the perfect read for the Formula 1-mad kid in your life,” by Amazon UK, Drive to Victory is a high-speed dive into the world of Formula 1, penned by Chandhok himself. The book answers burning questions young fans often ask: How fast do Formula 1 cars really go? What does it take to become a racing driver? Which track is the toughest in the world?
Drawing from his extensive experience in F1 and other racing championships, Chandhok takes readers behind the scenes, sharing incredible stats, facts, and stories about the fastest and most exciting sport on the planet. The book explores legendary drivers from both past and present, including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and George Russell, as well as icons like Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Jenson Button. It also shines a light on trailblazing female drivers such as Maria Teresa de Filippis and Lella Lombardi.
Beyond the drivers, Drive to Victory showcases the best teams, cars, and tracks, offering young readers an insider’s view into what it takes to compete at the highest level of motorsport. Chandhok also shares expert insights on how aspiring racers can start their journey in the world of Formula 1.
Karun Chandhok: From the Track to the Bookshelf
Karun Chandhok, spends time to talk with young children, who came to his book launch at Odyssey in Chennai. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan A former Formula 1 driver, Chandhok is one of only two Indian racers to have competed in the sport, making his F1 debut in 2010 with Hispania Racing before joining Team Lotus in 2011. Apart from F1, he has raced in Le Mans, Formula E, and GP2, securing multiple podiums and victories. That makes him the only driver from India, who raced in all the three top FIA championships.
Today, Chandhok is a well-respected motorsport analyst and a leading voice on Sky Sports’ F1 coverage, where his deep knowledge and engaging commentary have made him a fan favourite. With Drive to Victory, he is now inspiring a new generation of young racing fans, combining his love for storytelling with his unparalleled experience on the track.
A Special Launch in Chennai
For Chandhok, launching the book in his hometown of Chennai added a personal touch to the milestone. The events at Higginbothams and Odyssey were filled with excitement as children and fans got their copies autographed and interacted with the racing star.
Speaking about the book, Chandhok shared, “Growing up, I was obsessed with motorsport, but there weren’t many books tailored for kids who loved racing. With Drive to Victory, I wanted to create something fun, informative, and inspiring for young fans who dream of being part of the world of Formula 1.”
With its thrilling storytelling, fascinating insights, and stunning facts, Drive to Victory is set to become a must-have for young motorsport lovers. Whether a child dreams of racing or simply enjoys watching the sport, this book promises to take them on a turbocharged ride through the world of F1.
Here are some exclusive photographs by motorsports photojournalist Srinivasa Krishnan, who took time off from his busy schedule to attend the event and get a copy personally signed by the legend.
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Jason Saldanha, Thimmanna Uddapanda win Thailand Rally RC2.1 title
Bangkok, 30 March 2025: Mangalore’s Jason Saldanha and Thimmamma Uddapanda of Kodagu began the season with a bang winning the first round of the Thailand National Rally Championship (RAAT) in RC 2.1 class, at Nakhon Ratchasima, about 250km from here, on Sunday. They also finished a creditable second in the Overall category despite losing time behind a stuck car in Special Stage 4.
Driving a Suzuki Swift 1.4L turbo for ‘Team Insight & Ally,’ they made it their second consecutive victory at the RAAT, taking home the coveted title. “It is a mixed bag. We are very happy to have won our class and the feeling of lifting the Indian flag high is a proud moment. But for the time lost behind a stationary car, we would have won the Overall honours too,” said Saldanha and Thimmanna, about the SS4 incident where they could not continue as a car blocked the road. The organisers are yet to decide on the scratch time when the provisional results were announced. The duo were fastest in four Special Stages (SS) and clocked an overall time of one hour, 32.20 seconds for a total distance of 81.50km including a competitive stage distance of 38.63km in the eight SS. There are three physical stages. The Sanamachai Forest Park stage is the longest at 17.5km, the Rubber Research stage is 13.4km and the Wang Nam Sai is the shortest at 7.73km.
Saldanha, born on March 24, 1987, is a skilled Indian rally driver making waves in both the RAAT and the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). Originally from Mangaluru, he now resides in Belur, Karnataka, where he continues to hone his craft in motorsports. Thimmanna, born on December 24, 1989, in Ammathi, on the other hand, brings in experience and stability to the partnership, with his expertise in navigation. He made his debut at Coimbatore in 2018.
Jason Saldanha and Thimmu Uddapanda Bopanna in the stages at Thailand National Rally Championship (RAAT) Round 1 on Sunday. Saldanha’s breakthrough moment came in April 2023 when he and his co-driver, Thimmanna Uddapanda made history by becoming the first Indians to win a title in their class in the Thailand Rally Nationals. Driving for ‘Team Insight & Ally,’ the duo etched their names in the record books with this remarkable achievement.
In December 2024, Saldanha delivered another stellar performance at the INRC Blueband K1000 Rally, their home rally. Competing in the INRC 2 category alongside Uddapanda Thimanna in a Maruti Baleno RS 1.0 for Arka Motorsports, he secured an impressive second-place overall finish and clinched first place in the INRC 2 class. Earlier in the season, at the INRC Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, he and Thimanna finished fifth overall and third in their category. Saldanha also put up a strong fight at the 2024 Robusta Rally, the penultimate round of the INRC. In a tightly-contested race, he narrowly missed a podium finish, placing fourth overall—just a second behind Aditya Thakur in the INRC 2 category.
Saldanha and Thimmanna continue to improve their game and are a formidable force in Indian motorsports, showcasing their talent on both national and international rally circuits. Their next event will be the South India Rally in Chennai from April 24 to 27.
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Marc Marquez clinches gold in blockbuster Austin Sprint
Marc MThe #93’s 100% win record remains intact, but it didn’t come easy as a brilliant Tissot Sprint unfolds in Texasarquez clinches gold in blockbuster Austin Sprint
Austin (Texas, US), 29 March 2025: Stateside Tissot Sprint glory went the way of Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) – but not without a decent slice of drama and fireworks thrown in along the way. The #93 eventually beat Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by less than a second in Austin to keep up his 100% victory record in 2025, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – after leading on the first lap – brought home a bronze medal to set us up beautifully for Sunday.
AN OPENING LAP SHOWDOWN: Marquez vs Bagnaia vs MarquezWithout any shadow of a doubt, the opening lap of the Sprint was the best lap of the season – and it’ll take some beating too. Bagnaia, from P6, launched away superbly to grab the holeshot up the hill into Turn 1. Marc Marquez bit straight back at Turn 2 to retake the lead from his teammate, but at Turn 3, it was Pecco doing the overtaking again. It didn’t take long before Marquez decided to pounce back though, Turn 7 his chosen spot.So it was Marc Marquez leading Bagnaia and Alex Marquez. But at Turn 17, the #93’s Sprint very nearly came to a premature end. An almighty rear-end slide led to the six-time MotoGP Champion getting thrown out of the saddle, which cost the Championship leader P1 and P2. Thought we were done? Nope. Bagnaia and the Marquez brothers were locked together on the exit of Turn 19 and into Turn 20, the final corner, Marc Marquez passed both to retake the lead, with Alex Marquez slotting into P2. That’s worth several rewatches.
HOW THE SPRINT WAS WON
That was some opening lap. But after hitting the front again and getting into a rhythm, Marc Marquez started to build a gap to Alex Marquez. It was 0.6s on Lap 3, as Bagnaia lost touch with the top two. The Italian had Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) swarming all over his rear tyre before the Frenchman had a huge moment on entry to Turn 15, which allowed Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) to slide through. Now, Quartararo was in a VR46 sandwich, with Fabio Di Giannantonio sitting in P6.
On Lap 5 of 10, Marc Marquez’s advantage had shrunk from just under a second to 0.4s. That did rise back up to 0.6s on the next lap though, as Pecco found pace. But was it too late to lock onto the rear end of Alex Marquez?
Meanwhile, a ferocious battle was unfolding between the two VR46 Ducatis and Quartararo. The trio exchanged fourth with four laps to go as the Yamaha star dug deep to try and cling onto a chance of finishing P4 – and what a job he was doing.
With two laps to go, Marc Marquez’s lead was up to 1.4s, while Alex Marquez was still holding Bagnaia at bay by just over a second. However, heading onto the last lap, Alex had reeled in Marc. It was 0.7s over the line, so could anything be done by the younger Marquez to end his brother’s early season momentum?
The answer was no. Marc Marquez held firm to pick up his third Tissot Sprint win on the bounce, with Alex Marquez continuing his P2 streak. Bagnaia claimed an important P3, just under two seconds away from his teammate, but the 2022 and 2023 MotoGP World Champion will be wanting more in Sunday’s Grand Prix despite being pleased with the result.
SATURDAY POINTS SCORERS IN AUSTINAfter a phenomenal mid-race scrap, Di Giannantonio won the fight for fourth, with Morbidelli keeping Quartararo behind him as the former teammates clinch P5 and P6 respectively – a top effort from the Yamaha star. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) collected seventh and acted as the lead KTM on Saturday, as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) earned two Sprint points with a hard-earned P8. That was a great ride from the Italian who flew the HRC flag in the points after teammate Joan Mir crashed out from the top nine early doors, with Honda again showing progress – and that was Marini’s first Sprint points with Honda too.
Meanwhile, the final Sprint point went the way of rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) after a great late battle with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
If that first lap and subsequent battles didn’t get the juices flowing for Sunday in Austin, then we’re not sure what will. Tune into the MotoGP Americas Grand Prix at 14:00 local time (UTC -5) to see who will collect COTA’s 2025 crown!
